Another high-profile role for Rubio

In delivering the Republican response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio culminated a whirlwind six months that marked him as a top contender for the White House in 2016 and established him as a force within the GOP.

Marco Rubio

Since last fall, Rubio has delivered the nominating speech at the Republican National Convention for Mitt Romney, become the new face of the GOP’s immigration reform plans and been dubbed the party’s “savior” by Time magazine.

It’s a remarkable ascent, particularly given that three years ago, the party Rubio is now credited with saving had all but turned its back on him in what many thought was an unwinnable battle for the U.S. Senate.

But that was a distant memory as Rubio delivered what was billed as an upbeat message aimed at changing the public’s view of the GOP after the party’s dismal 2012 campaign cycle.

“Despite our differences, I know that both Republicans and Democrats love America,” Rubio said in his prepared remarks. “I pray we can come together to solve our problems, because the choices before us could not be more important. If we can get our economy healthy again, our children will be the most prosperous Americans ever.”

Republican ideas for boosting the economy were a key theme for Rubio, who sought to avoid a laundry list of complaints about the president.

“Economic growth is the best way to help the middle class,” Rubio said. “Unfortunately, our economy actually shrank during the last three months of 2012. But if we can get the economy to grow at just 4 percent a year, it would create millions of middle class jobs. And it could reduce our deficits by almost $4 trillion dollars over the next decade.”

The GOP’s choice of Rubio, a 41-year-old Cuban-American, for the response was about more than having a fresh face and hitting key demographics — the young and Hispanics. Republican political strategist Ford O’Connell said that Rubio’s ability to connect to voters is key in helping the party deliver a positive alternative to Obama, something the GOP has struggled to do in past State of the Union responses panned as dour and pessimistic.

“There may be more riding on Rubio’s speech for the Republican Party than for Rubio himself,” O’Connell said.

Florida has never had a major contender for the White House or for vice president.

While Rubio has risen quickly to national prominence, his path to the White House is still complicated. With his ascent comes new scrutiny that will test Rubio as a national candidate. The time commitment to run for president as a father of young children, the prospect of his mentor Jeb Bush as a candidate and potential blowback from some Republicans on his immigration reform push could derail Rubio.

Still, whether he runs for president or not, O’Connell said Rubio’s role Tuesday shows he’s a national player now.

While Rubio has delivered big speeches before — notably the GOP convention address — Tuesday night’s was expected to draw his largest audience yet, giving him a chance to introduce himself to millions of Americans who know little about him.

“He is without a doubt one of the best hopes the party has for 2016,” O’Connell said.

Jeremy Wallace

Jeremy Wallace has covered politics for more than 15 years.
He can be reached by email or call (941) 361-4966.
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Last modified: February 13, 2013
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